Youthful Long Beach is talented

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Despite working with the youngest roster in his 35 years of coaching gymnastics at Long Beach High School, Bill Muirhead’s expectations are quite high.

“Last season was our highest-scoring team ever, but we have the potential to be even better,” he said. “This is the youngest team I’ve coached, but we’ve got the experience and work ethic.”

The Lady Marines raised the coach’s expectation bar even more on Monday when they tied the school record score for a meet with a 156.6 in the Cartwheels for a Cure event hosted by Cold Spring Harbor. Long Beach was one of eight participating schools and raised more than $800 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

“We’ve got a great group of girls,” said Muirhead, whose roster includes only two seniors, no juniors and one sophomore. “During the holiday they helped a local family and bought and wrapped gifts,” he added. “They very thoughtful.”

After going 7-2 in dual meets last winter, the Lady Marines are off to a 1-2 start but the coach is expecting a strong finish. He’s confident the team will have its share of representatives at the state qualifier meet on Feb. 14 at Great Neck South.

Off to a fantastic start for Long Beach is Rivers Cunningham, one of its seven eighth-graders. A top level club gymnast who’s recently returned to action after taking a little break, she has scored as high as 9.3 on floor exercise, 8.5 on beam, 8-3 on vault, and an 8.0 on uneven bars. “She’s strong in every event and getting better every day,” Muirhead said. “She’s very powerful and determined, and she’s having fun.”

While Cunningham is in her first season with the Lady Marines, senior Dakota Ejnes began her sixth. Last winter, Ejnes earned All-American status on floor and qualified for the state meet. She’s hit a 9.2 already this season and also scored an 8.3 on vault. “Dakota is a fundamentally sound gymnast and a tremendous role model for the younger girls,” Muirhead said. “Her goal is to get back to states.”

Ejnes and senior Erica Russell, in her fourth year on varsity, serve as captains. Russell, a county qualifier on vault and consistent scorer on floor and bars as well, came to every practice to support her teammates while recovering from a torn labrum that required surgery, Muirhead noted.

Eighth-grader Allison Cohen had a big performance at Cold Spring Harbor with an 8.6 on floor, 8.4 on beam and 7.8 on bars. She competed in last season’s county meet on floor. “Her floor routine is lively and fun to watch,” Muirhead said.

Eighth-graders Patricia Clune and Mairead Powers are posting scores in the 8s in everything they do, while freshman Barbara Speight is contributing in three events.

“All the girls push and support each other,” Muirhead said. “Practices are fun.”

Long Beach’s next three meets are away, followed by three at home: Feb. 2 versus Bethpage, Feb. 6 against Wantagh, and Feb. 8 against Plainview.